As the world turns the sun is lowering in the western sky and The Day of Rest and gladness has begun for those near the International Date Line. It will continue to begin in each country, for the household of faith, for the next 24 hours, and end 24 hours later. For 6000 unbroken years this weekly memorial of Creation, and the Rest that Christ our Creator gives to us every moment, has been preserved by God’s faithful. He ceased from His work after creating this earth and we cease from our works and rest in Him alone - The LORD of the Sabbath.
Here are a few quotes on the subject from the 1888 “Most Precious Message”:
The Christ/Sabbath connection – acknowledge His divinity and the true spiritual rest of the Sabbath continues. Only in Christ is this possible.
We cannot compel someone to keep the Sabbath or to be saved.
It is the sign of true rest for eternity with God.
Stop our own works and allow God to do the work in us. “To will and to do of His good pleasure.”
All our works are wrought in Him and they are right – that is indeed rest.
Keep it holy, it is. It is impossible to make it holy, only God can. We can't make ourselves holy to keep it holy. Only if we have The Holy One dwelling in us.
The same power that sanctified the day, sanctifies us.
We come and rest on the Word that created and upholds the universe. A little piece of Eden preserved. Identical to the rest enjoyed by the saints through all eternity.
We can have Heaven now and that is a delight.
The Sabbath is a sign of His perfect creation, the seal of a perfect new creation in Christ.
Anything that keeps before us the creative power of Christ must tend to renew our spiritual strength and courage. This is just the design of the Sabbath. The greatest reinforcement in the battle. The Sabbath is the grand fulcrum for the lever of faith. It lifts the soul to the heights of heaven, God's throne, to hold communion with Him.
It is His ability to create that measures the power of God. The gospel tells of the same power that He uses to create and bring worlds into existence is now exerted for the salvation of men. Redemption is creation. “Commit the keeping of your soul to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:19.
He shares all with us. The Life lived so that we can live it is a fact. Lose connection and you will go straight back to the old ways – doubt and hesitancy. Believe Christ's word and allow it to work. The Sabbath is absolute rest in Him and His word. Everything placed in subjection to the plan as long as he is in subjection to God.
Unless I recognise His creative power in my life, moment by moment, my Sabbath keeping is a fraud. Unless I am resting in Him every moment, all week, my Sabbath keeping is a farce.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 2:1-3
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11
Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you…Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord…for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Exodus 31:13-17
We hope that you have a blessed and holy Sabbath!
